1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card reader for processing magnetic information recorded in a magnetic card.
2. Related Art
In a card reader which is a card processing apparatus for recording and reproducing magnetic information with respect to a magnetic card by means of a magnetic head, the card which is inserted into a card traveling passage is nipped by pairs of transport rollers which are each composed of a drive roller and a driven roller. At least one of the rollers is urged relative to the other roller for nipping the card with a fixed pressure. In a case where, for instance, the drive roller is located below the card traveling passage, the driven roller is supported by a support above the card traveling passage, the support being openable with respect to the passage. A torsion coil spring is wound around a rotating shaft of the support so as to urge the support in the closing direction, thereby pressing and urging the driven rollers against the drive rollers.
However, in the case where the torsion coil spring is wound around the rotating shaft of the support to press and urge the driven rollers against the drive rollers, the support cannot be rotated in the opening direction unless the torsion coil spring is removed from the rotating shaft and the action of the spring force is canceled. Hence, there is a drawback in operating efficiency at the time of assembly and maintenance.
Further, the card reader which is capable of coping with various types of cards, such as IC cards and magnetic cards, the recording and reproduction of information with respect to the magnetic card and the IC card is effected by means of the magnetic head and an IC card contact, respectively. The IC card contact is provided further to the interior of the magnetic head along the card passage because of the limited space of the apparatus.
In recent years, to prevent the unauthorized use of cards, the card reader is, in some cases, provided with a sensor called a security sensor for determining the acceptability of the card. However, this sensor must be provided at a position where the sensor does not overlap with the magnetic head, so that in the present situation the sensor is provided along the card passage at a position closer to the card-insertion side than the magnetic head.
If the magnetic head and the IC card contact for processing the card and/or the security sensor or the like are arranged along the inserting direction of the card in accordance with their functions, the following drawbacks are conceivably encountered.
For instance, in a pass-through type card reader in which the IC card is discharged to a side opposite to the insertion port, the drive roller must be provided further to the interior of the IC card contact so as to discharge the card processed by the IC card contact. As a result, there is a drawback in that the card passage becomes long, resulting in a large-size card reader.
In addition, in a case where a security sensor is provided in a reciprocating-type card reader in which the processed card is returned to the insertion port so as to be discharged, since in the present situation the security sensor is provided at a position closer to the card--insertion side than the magnetic head, the card passage becomes long, resulting in a large-size card reader.
Still further, in regard to the card reader for processing magnetic cards, such as credit cards and prepaid cards, the magnetic card is inserted into the card passage, and the processing of magnetic recording of the card is carried out by the magnetic head disposed in the passage. The card for which processing has been completed is discharged from the innermost end of the card passage or is returned to the card insertion port so as to be discharged from inside the apparatus.
The card can become curved or deformed depending on its management condition, and if such a card is inserted into the card passage, a state called "card jam" can possibly occur in which the card is jammed in the card passage.